Friday, when starting the car and going home from work, a strange whirring sound appeared. The car drove normally, so I took off. After a few minutes, the sound disappeared, but power steering had also gone and the temp started rising rapidly!

Pulled over and found that the lowest of the tensioner pulleys had fallen off and was lying on the engine frame...! So yesterday it was towed to the garage I share with others. I found that the bolt was still in the pulley and undamaged! However, the pulley wasn't moving freely, so a new part is ordered, as well as a new belt.

Now I have learned what was making that whirring sound!

So right now it is stored in its own garage, as we are expanding storage facilities - so safe and sound, waiting for new parts

So I better make an update for this one... Only small stuff has been edited in my first post of this thread

The car has been off the road since winter, as it would not pass inspection with the cracked windshield. A lot of work has been done in the hobby garage to improve the facilities, so not much messing with cars. This also means that the Q4 won't be ready to go on winter duty. However, I will then spend time getting the bigger work done and some of the small tasks as well.

Right now, we are disassembling a 164 12V Super, from which I hope to reuse the windscreen and some other small parts, like door mounts.

I have also shipped a set of used adjustable shock absorbers and steering racks to Poland for reconditioning - I will let you know the outcome of that, when I have them back.

The relays in the ABS unit have been replaced, but I am not done erasing error codes yet. More to follow in the Q4 ABS thread.

I really hope to make a lot more updates in the coming months, also adding some more photos to this thread...

So after some transportation time (the box from Poland went to Spain with GLS...!) I have received my first Christmas gift

And last year I brought a set of shock absorbers to South Africa for reconditioning, I will pick them up tomorrow - that is my 2. Christmas gift

As I have not mounted the parts on the car (will happen (beginning of?) next year, the performance is unknown, but as the photos show, it is looking like new, both shocks and steering racks! I am very pleased with the outcome and the total price was around 900euro, which I think is good.

Excellent find Alfan! It all looks like it's brand new. I will definitely send them my spare shocks for a rebuild after seeing the result, and it looks like they actually kind of specialize in the adjustable Boge struts, have a look at this video from their website: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SvVmOsSKqOU

Looks like they are actually re-manufacturing most of the parts. You even get brand new OEM stickers.

Also, my steering rack is most probably gone (leak) so that post of yours comes right in time.

I replaced the steering rack 4 years ago in the Q4, so it is not my plan to do that now. I had them reconditioned, so that they are available to me and maybe it is needed in the 8.32 soon, but I have not looked at specific parts yet.

I cannot remember if it was on this site or AlfaBB someone wrote about finding a replacement or another solution...

Attached are photos of the Lancia shock absorbers, I have received from South Africa. These were more rusty, than the Alfa ones, which is why they have a more rough surface after reconditioning.

I also have some photos of the seal on the Q4 rear shocks, the naming on it looks like 'Top-Gun-D-L 022'.

I am looking for a set of front springs for the Q4 - they are apparently different to the FWD, and difficult to find, so I will probably use a set of FWD, as the added weight at the front of the Q4 is minimal.

I managed to find new front springs for the Q4 (Suplex 01045) and the are the same, apart from being app. 2 cm lower than the originals I have, see photo. I don't think that will change too much when compressed, though.

I also found the values for the extension of the shaft for the Q4 front, which is less than the FWD. According to the workshop manual the FWD should be 167mm +/-2.5, for the Q4 it is 122mm +/-5.5. The rear struts are different on the Q4 and no value is given for this measure. I measured the rebuild ones and got 118mm for the front and 140 for the rear (which is stated to be 212,5mm +/-3 for the FWD), so they are within the given spec.

I will measure the height of the front, before installing the new springs, so I know what the difference is.

Keep us posted about the progress on other items too, I'm interested to see if the springs you found will lower the car slightly. I actually think 1-2cm lower would suit it very well and would look into that myself.